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As many as 88% of the authors of clinical trial results failed to report conflicts of interest related to the trial sponsor or a competing drugmaker, but some authors over-disclosed, Danish researchers reported at the Peer Review Congress. The researchers reviewed 100 drug trials with one or more Danish authors, who are required to disclose paid collaboration with industry. Ambiguous guidelines from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors may be causing confusion among researchers as to what constitutes a conflict of interest, the lead researcher said.

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A Phase III trial for drisapersen, a drug by GlaxoSmithKline and Prosensa for treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy, failed to meet primary goals three months after receiving breakthrough therapy designation from the U.S. FDA. The trial among 186 boys suffering from the disease failed to demonstrate significant improvement in walking distance or motor function, compared with a placebo. DMD affects one in 3,500 live male births.

Medical device and drug trials in the U.K. must be registered on a public database starting Monday to be approved by research ethics panels, according to a requirement from the National Health Service's Health Research Authority. The requirement is part of an effort by the HRA to push for more transparency in clinical studies.

China's exports of bulk drugs to India are growing at the rate of 30% annually, while Indian exporters are finding it difficult to enter the Chinese market, according to Indian pharmaceutical experts. Bulk drugs from China are growing in popularity because of price and availability, said Sunil Parekh of the global research company Crisil. Cheaper API imports from China are hurting domestic Indian API makers but may be a boon to generic drug companies.

Multinational pharmaceutical companies are finding it difficult to enter Saudi Arabia, according to a study by Decisions Resources, which cited the nation’s strict policies for registration, pricing and drug distribution as major factors. Meanwhile, the Saudi government has implemented policies to encourage growth of the domestic pharmaceuticals industry, an Alpen Capital report found. Business Monitor International places Saudi Arabia as the largest pharmaceutical market in the Gulf Cooperation Council, where health care spending is projected to triple to $133.19 billion by 2018.

The European Commission has approved Celltrion's Inflectra, an antibody-based drug similar to Remicade by Johnson & Johnson and Merck & Co. Hospira will market the drug in Europe, and Celltrion is seeking approval in Japan later this year and possibly in the U.S. by 2015. The approval may clear the path for other biosimilar drugs.